Benefits of Indoor Dog Gates
There are plenty of reasons why a pet owner would want to use dog gates. Along with dog doors, these gates make it easy to set boundaries for a dog as needed, but also allow the owner to leave the animal with room for exercise. A crate isn’t always the solution, and you definitely don’t want to tie your dog up with a rope or chain. These gates may be just what you are looking for as a means by which to keep your pet—and you—happy.
Limit Freedom
Dogs sometimes act like human toddlers. They don’t mean to get themselves into trouble, but they frequently make a mess when left to their own devices. Sometimes they do this because they are bored or frustrated, but other times it’s simply out of curiosity.
A dog gate might be a better option than a crate in such instances, especially if you are going to be gone for long periods of time. If you would not want to be stuck in a small area like that for hours on end, there is a good chance your dog does not want to, either. If you can dog-proof one room so there is nothing to tear up, that might be a great room for your dog to lounge in while you’re at work or away from home for other reasons. This allows them to move around and get a bit of exercise, but limits the things that they can access and, consequently, destroy.
Accommodate Other Pets
You can buy pet gates that have a cat door at the bottom. This allows your cat to go from one room to the other without climbing over the gate. Cats might be able to climb it easily enough, but that also might give your pups some ideas. Older cats might have difficulty climbing the gate, so a small door just for them at the bottom of a gate is an easy solution.
Ease of Use and Storage
Unlike a crate, a pet gate is easy to put away. It doesn’t take up much room even when you are using it, but makes it easy enough to put away when you aren’t. You can even move it from one area to another so that you are able to switch rooms as needed. If you tried this with a crate, it would be a lot more difficult.
When it comes to storage, just fold the gate up and put it away. It fits easily under most beds or in a closet somewhere so it’s out of sight but within easy reach when you need it.
Like dog doors, pet gates are great training tools. They allow the dog to access areas that they need to access, but can be modified by you when you want to limit that access. From reducing the number of rooms your pet is ever allowed into to giving your pet some limited freedom when you aren’t home, a pet gate makes a feasible alternative to a crate and other options.